


Lay Me Down

by nirvanaflames (orphan_account)



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Implied Love, M/M, Soul stuff, supernatural as in spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 09:44:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6001411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/nirvanaflames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akashi thought he knew all there was to humans, but this one offered him a unique experience. One he had yet to experience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lay Me Down

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Akashi#81](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Akashi%2381).



 

There’s something about the water, Kuroko thinks. Something about the water that makes him want to stay there forever. He’s not quite sure what it is but he’s certain it’s not the coldness of the water that entices him. 

He crouches down, dips his fingers into the school’s pool, and stares beyond the ripples deep into the depths of the water. If only he could put a name to what it was.

“Oi, Kuroko! Hurry up! We gotta get to practice soon,” Kagami hollers. He shoves the mop into the yellow bucket and rolls the utensils out to the storage shed. 

Kuroko knows better than to prolong his stay at the pool. The preliminary matches for Inter-high are nearing and Kagami’s already hyped up, determined to defeat all foes. He’s particularly excited to shoot Aomine down once more.

“Are you coming or not, Kuroko?” Kagami asks again. 

“Coach would be upset if I didn’t come to practice, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko says, point blank. 

“Then hurry up!” 

 ...

Kuroko trails after Kagami as they head over to the gym. The moment they step a foot into the gym, a whistle blows and a finger’s casted at them accusingly. “You guys are late!” 

“What? How!” Kagami remarks. He looks at Kuroko for some kind of answer only to get a shrug in return. Riko dangles her stopwatch in the air. “You’re late by 15 seconds. I thought I told you guys to finish promptly.” 

“But 15 seconds isn’t a big deal, coach.” Kagami sends a dire look at his captain who shakes his head grimly. There’s nothing he can do to change Riko’s mind. 

“Both of your training regiment will be doubled. Now gather up everyone! I’ve got some news for you all!” Riko says, pounding her fist into an open palm. She’s brimming with excitement. 

Kuroko, overhearing Kagami’s grouchy mumbles, decides to ease his pains. “It’s not that bad, Kagami-kun. I’ve had much worse in middle school.” 

“Nice effort, Kuroko, but I’m not any less angrier. This is stu-” 

Riko directs a scalding glare at Kagami. “Kagami, shut your trap or else-” 

“Yes, Ma’am!” 

“Good. Now then, back to the discussion. You guys need to improve on your footwork which is why I’ve arranged for us to train at a town with more steep mountains, unlike the place we went to last year.” 

“Ahh,” Hyuga says, drawing it out slowly. “Please tell me there aren’t any other schools there this time.” 

Riko grins. “Exactly why I picked a small town in the mountains. It’s roughly a six-seven hours drive from here but it’s worth the time. I don’t need you guys distracted. If we’re going to win again this year, we need to be in our top condition!”

“Housing?” Kiyoshi asks. 

Riko’s shining face falters. “About that…there’s only one inn but all the rooms are booked. But thankfully, Kuroko-kun lent me a hand.” 

All eyes shift to him. Kuroko nods. “My grandmother lives in the town. She said she’s more than happy to house us for our training session.” 

“Perfect. We leave next weekend,” Riko informs. “Now start practicing.” 

                                                          ♱♡‿♡♰

_Desperate splashes. Choked gurgles. Curled fingers. Arms outstretched. He feels like his lungs will explode from the prickling sensation. A weight pulls him down. He’s sinking further into the dark waters. Something grasps his shoulders and he—_

Kuroko wakes up to the weight on his shoulders. Kagami’s gently shaking him awake all the while telling him that they’ve arrived at the town. Kuroko stares out the window, seeing it all for himself that they have indeed arrived at the place he used to spend his summers at. 

The Seirin team follows Kuroko as he guides them through the dirt street. They reach the outskirts of the town and find themselves standing at the base of a mountain. A long cement path lined with towering red Torris is centered in the middle. 

Riko turns to look at Kuroko quizzically. “Is your grandmother a shrine keeper, Kuroko-kun?” 

“She’s a miko.” 

“How long do you think it’ll take us to get up there?” Kagami asks, peering upwards. 

“Two hours I suppose,” Kuroko says. “If you run, you might get there faster but you’re not supposed to run. It’s disrespectful.” 

“Sounds like you’re saying it from experience, Kuroko,” Hyuga notes. 

“I am, captain. I used to run down this path when I was younger. My grandmother always scolded me for doing that.” Kuroko leads them up the path. The members are absorbed in the scenery, talking amongst themselves- all but one. Kuroko glances at Kagami who looks ready to reverse and bolt out running. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid, Kagami-kun.”

This certainly catches everyone’s attention. 

“I’m not afraid. I’m just concerned about,” Kagami pauses warily. He looks around, paranoid, and whispers, “Spirits.” 

Before anyone can say anything and before Izuki can even think of a poorly made pun, Hyuga calls upon their attention. “Alright, let’s not keep Kuroko’s grandma waiting. That would be rude and Kagami, toughen up will ya?” 

 Kiyoshi smiles, a goofy aura emanating from him. “That’s our captain. Let’s get on with our way. Can’t let a mountain scare you from winning Kagami.” 

 Kiyoshi ushers them forward with his strong but gentle hands and Riko’s oh-so-sweet voice sends shivers down Kagami’s spine. “It would be very sad to see it all end here, right, Kagami-kun? We’ve got a tournament to win.” 

 “Of course!” Kagami says. His throat feels constricted. He feels a bead of cold sweat trickle down the back of his neck. 

“Kagami-kun. You’ll be left behind at this rate,” Kuroko points out. 

 “I’m not scared or anything like that, y’know.” 

Kuroko sighs. “Just consider this as a battle of mental will.” 

 … 

Just as Kuroko said, it takes them roughly two hours to hike up the path. Kuroko’s grandmother greets them at the end. She’s dressed in the traditional miko attire, red hakama and a white haori, with a wooden broom tucked in one hand. 

A warm smile spreads across her lips. “Tetsuya, it’s wonderful to see you again. I’m glad to have you all.” 

Hyuga bows. “I’m Kuroko’s captain, Hyuga Junpei. Thank you for very much for having us. We’re in your care, Kuroko-san.” 

“Oh it’s fine. I like having company.” She beckons them to come with her. “The summer’s coming to an end so the amount of visitors decline around this time. It gets a little lonely up here.” 

 Riko glances around, taking in the clean environment. The air is fresh and crisp, a bit cold because of the altitude. “If you ever need some man power, Kuroko-san, you can always count on my boys.” She tops it off with a grin. 

The miko laughs. “I’ll keep that in mind. Let’s go inside. I’ve already prepared a few light snacks. I even prepared some of your favorites, Tetsuya.” 

“I can help you prepare dinner, Kuroko-san,” Riko suggests all too willingly. And so the boys’ attempts to keep her away from the kitchen ensue.

 …. 

Kagami’s not sure how it happened but all he knows is that he’s in the kitchen cooking with a grandmother. She sits on a stool, observing him. In fact, she’s been observing him for the past hour now. She occasionally breaks the silence to praise his cooking techniques. 

After a while, she gets up to stir the pot on the stove. “How is Tetsuya these days?”

“He’s doing good I think. We won Winter Cup last year. I mean who wouldn’t be happy about that?”

“He did tell me about that. Though I’m sure it must have been very tiring on the body.” 

Kagami heads over to the sink and fills a new pot with water. “Yeah it was. I can’t even remember the amount of times he almost fell over from exhaustion at the end of our matches.” 

She hums with contemplation as she stirs the curry. “That boy’s always had a fragile body. You can bring that pot here. We’ll have to steam the vegetables now.” 

Kagami complies, still processing her words. “…Kuroko’s not sick is he? Like he’s not diagnosed with some life-threatening disease?” 

She pats his back, smiling reassuringly. “No, no, dear child. I meant that Tetsuya’s easily worn out. He’s got such a tender heart. Once he loves something, he holds it dearly. Please treat him with care.” 

A light bulb switches on in Kagami’s head and he nods, certain that he knows what she’s talking about. “He’s slowly patching things up with his Teiko teammates and his childhood friend, Ogiwara, came to cheer us on during Winter Cup. Kuroko’s strong despite how weak he looks, you know.” 

 “I’m glad to hear that. I’ve been worried about him.” 

 Kagami doesn’t know what to say after that and even if he wants to say something, he doesn’t want to intrude on private matters.

                                                       ♱♡‿♡♰

Every day is full of practice, mainly running up and down mountains, and exhaustion. Time soon becomes one long indiscernible string of days, a blur of hours. 

Kuroko pants for air with one hand on a tree for support. “I think I’m at my limit, Kagami-kun.” 

 “Wha-” Kagami’s cut off by sudden vomiting sounds. Kuroko’s vomiting noises. Kagami scrunches his nose with disgust, doing his best to pat the poor guy on the back and also not look at the puke. 

“Clearly you know what you’re saying, Kuroko. I think you should head back. I’ll tell coach you’re not feeling well.”

“Thank you, Kagami-kun.” Kagami tilts his head as he watches Kuroko walk away, a concerned frown making its way to his face. He wonders if he should escort Kuroko back but knowing Kuroko, he’d probably reject his offer. 

 He’s got such a tender heart. Those words ring in his head. Treat him with care.

 … 

 “You’re early, Tetsuya. Done with practice for the day?”

 Kuroko shakes his head. “My stomach was feeling queasy so I left early.”

 His grandmother frowns as she cleans the shrine bells. “It’s not any ordinary sickness, Tetsuya. You know that so please stop exerting stress on yourself.”

 Kuroko sits on the wooden bench, fingers gripping the edges of the seat. “I love basketball, grandma. It makes me feel alive.” 

 She stares at him sadly, torn apart at the sight of her beloved grandson like this. He’s been like this for far too long. “You are alive, Tetsuya.” 

 Kuroko clutches his shirt. His fist resides over his heart. “It’s empty but basketball fills that emptiness. I don’t want to let go of basketball.” 

 “Constant physical activity is too much for your body to handle, Tetsuya.”

 “I know, grandma. I just want to recover that missing piece-”

 “-You can never recover something that’s been taken away from you, Tetsuya,” she finishes. 

 “If I could just go back-” 

 She sternly rejects his idea. “Tetsuya. No. You are not going there, understood?” 

 “Yes.” 

 She reaches out to hug him. “I’m sorry I can’t do anything to help you. If I could, I would, Tetsuya. It’s impossible though because we’re humans, we can’t do anything against them.”

                                                      ♱♡‿♡♰

_Desperate splashes. Choked gurgles. Curled fingers. Arms outstretched. He’s falling deeper into the dark waters. Kicking his legs, trying to propel himself upward, everything he does is futile. Something anchors him far beneath the waters. Something metallic, something sharp and curved, wraps around his ankle. He feels something rough press up against his leg and he looks down, confronted with a scaly creature whose webbed hand, with talons for nails, is wrapped around his ankle. The creature’s rough and bumpy tongue licks his leg. Its eyes are filled with such a dark hungry craze. The talons pierce the flesh around his ankle and he lets out a choked, muffled scream. His arms flail helplessly in the heavy water._

 Kuroko’s startled awake. Eyes peer down at him. 

 “Kuroko? Are you okay?”

 “Captain,” Kuroko says, breathing out a tiny sigh of relief. 

 “Yeah. It’s me. You seemed like you were having a nightmare.” 

 Kuroko sits up, looking around the dark room. Everyone’s sound asleep. “I was having a nightmare.” 

 Hyuga nods, uncertain of what to do. It’s a little awkward, he admits to himself. The idea of him soothing a person back to sleep, that’s something he’s never done before. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

 “I’d rather not.” 

 “…Alright then but if you need anything, Kuroko, just pat my pillow or get one of the other guys. Whichever one works for you.” 

 For the duration of the night, Kuroko can’t fall asleep until the sun rises. All he can think about is how eerily real the dream was because he does have a scar on that very ankle. He’s certain the dream isn’t only just a dream.

                                                      ♱♡‿♡♰

 While most of the Seirin members spend the day helping Kuroko’s grandmother around the shrine, Kuroko and Kagami head out to town to run some errands. They arrive at a metal shop and Kuroko steps to the side of the building. “Kagami-kun can go inside. Just hand the clerk the note and he’ll give it to the metal smith. I’ll wait here.” 

 “What, why? You don’t get along with this person?”

 Kuroko simply replies, “Just go inside, Kagami-kun.” 

 The moment Kagami enters, he’s faced with a young man at the counter, scrutinizing him with narrowed eyes. Kagami awkwardly sputters out, “Uh hi, I’m on an errand for Kuroko-san, the uh miko from the shrine.” 

 “I thought so. Come on over.” 

 Kagami heeds the clerk’s words and hands the note over. The man disappears behind the wooden doors. Several minutes after he comes out, a cacophony of metal screeches, buzzing electric saw noises and compressed air hisses behind the door. He sits at the counter silently until Kagami says something. “So how’s business?” 

 “The same as usual.” 

 “Okay...”

 “You’re not from around here, are you?” 

 “Yeah. I’m from Tokyo. Well, the US actually.” Kagami laughs, feeling a little embarrassed for some reason. “I’m on a training trip with my basketball team.”

 “So that kid plays basketball now?”

 “Kuroko? Yeah, he does. Why? Do you know him?” 

 The man leans back, eyeing the window behind them. No sight of Kuroko. “The whole town knows of him. He’s the infamous kid.”

 “What do you mean?” Kagami’s slowly growing upset with the man, who waves a hand, clearly wanting to disregard the matter.

 “Something’s are better not to be said. I suggest that you don’t hang around him too often. He’s not normal.” 

 “What do you mean Kuroko’s not normal?” Kagami says it with too much force, because the man leans even further away from him with eyes narrowed in annoyance. 

“I’m only going to say this once. That kid’s been spirited away before and the chance of kids coming back isn’t something you see everyday. He’s bad luck, I tell you. Tainted by the spirits and whatever’s out there. Who knows if that’s even really the kid anymore.” 

 Kagami pales. There is no such thing as spirits. “You’re lying.”

 “Take it or leave it. A foolish man turns a blind eye.” 

                                                   ♱♡‿♡♰

 “Sick again, Tetsuya?” his grandmother asks as he appears at the top of the stairs. 

 He shakes his head. “I just came to get an extra shirt. I’ll be going back to the team in a bit.” 

 She gives him a grim look, ceasing her activity. “Be careful, Tetsuya. You never know what may happen out there.” 

 She was against the idea of him training out in the mountains but given how stubborn he was, there wasn’t much she could do to stop him. Or maybe she was just too soft on him, couldn’t handle saying no. She couldn’t bring herself to strip him of one of the few joys he had. 

 When he leaves, she prays for him like she’s always done. After all, an incomplete soul was an easy and lavishing meal to its predators. 

 … 

Kuroko rips the extra shirt bit by bit, leaving a trail of torn white cloths in the mountains. He’s determined to find a river but if he doesn’t somehow find one, at least he’ll have a way to return back home. 

 Water. 

 He has to find the river, submerge himself and wait until it comes for him. When it does, he’ll get it back. He has to. That missing piece of his soul he must retrieve, because only then will he feel human again. 

 … 

 He crouches down on his knees and dips his hand into the river. Cold water drizzles down his arm. He steps into the river, holding onto the bank for stability as he gauges his position. It’s too shallow where he stands. He wades his way to the center and lays himself down, floating with the river. 

 The sun beams down on him, caressing his face with its warmth. There’s always been something about the water. Something about the water sending him off on his way. Now if only the creature would come and take him. He’s willing to go through the whole motion again, anything to get back the missing piece. 

 The sunlight can no longer reach him now that he’s fully submerged under water and the weight lulls his eyes to sleep. 

                                                     ♱♡‿♡♰

  _Kuroko spent all day cruising the streets in search for his little dog. The sun was just setting when he finally spotted Nigou skittering around the corner. He immediately chased after it._

_By the time he caught up with the energetic pup, he was on the verge of entering the mountains. He paused and looked over his shoulder, glancing at the townscape behind him. He could hear his grandmother’s grave voice instructing him not to enter the mountains. “Children shouldn’t enter those places, Tetsuya. Come home before sunset, understood?”_

_But Nigou, the young Kuroko thought._

_With his grandmother occupied with shrine duties, he knew he’d be alone once again if the pup was to disappear. He didn’t want another lonely summer in an unfamiliar town._

_He mustered up his courage and stepped a foot into the woods._

_He knew he’d need courage- courage for breaking his promise with his grandmother, courage for pursuing the thing he held dearly to his heart, and courage for entering the unknown._

_…_

_Kuroko wasn’t sure how long he had been searching and wandering around. It didn’t feel like he was in the mountains anymore. It was a mixture of mountains and forests. Everything felt much more vast than he expected and the thick trees towered over his small frame. The branches blocked the sky from his sight and formed its own sky full of shadowy leaves. Not even the moon’s light could find a crack to shine through._

_It was almost as if he was in a different world._

_Everything was still. The mountain was silent. There wasn’t even the whistling of the usual evening breeze._

_“Nigou,” the young boy murmured softly. There was a growing tension in his stomach. It churned with apprehension. The fear of losing himself in the woods all because he wanted to find his beloved friend, the thought of never seeing his grandmother, it made him want to cry._

_But no tears welled up in those precious blue eyes, because there was still hope._

_“When in trouble, hold fast onto your heart, Tetsuya. Never give in to the darkness. Those who don’t surrender to the darkness will always find their way back.”_

_Kuroko remembered his grandmother’s words and clung onto it. The courage that’s begun to crumble, he eagerly tried to maintain and hoped to build up once more. There was no going back. He was too far into the mountains or wherever he was._

_If he were to return, he’d rather return with Nigou in his arms and not empty-handed, anything but empty-handed._

_…_

_Kuroko traveled in the darkness for what felt like an eternity. The further he went, the more uncertain he became. Shapes, unearthly shapes, began to take form. He didn’t know how or why, but he was sure he spotted shadows darting all around him._

_Nothing was still anymore but everything remained silent._

_The darkness crept upon him. Sometimes he thought he felt a brush on the back of his neck or a soft yet faraway touch trailing down from his elbow to his wrist. He knew he wasn’t alone anymore._

_His footsteps quickened, matching the pace of his heartbeat. The fear he suppressed was soon unleashed when he felt the root he just stepped on latch onto his ankle. Finger-like appendages dug into his skin. What was supposed to be nails felt like claws and that’s all it took for the young boy to hastily free his ankle and flee._

_Kuroko only knew one way. Forward. There was no backwards._

_…_

_There was a breeze._

_Kuroko could feel the air whipping at him but that was only because he was running as fast as he could. That was only because he was running for his life, only because he wanted to flee from this unfamiliar world._

_“Nigou!” he shouted, desperate. “Nigou! Where are you?”_

_In the far distance, he heard the chiming of bells, much like the ones his grandmother shook for her shrine duties. Kuroko paused in the middle of running, thinking that perhaps his grandmother had come for him. Instead, he spotted a glowing blue sphere from far away. It wasn’t only one sphere but a line of floating, gas-like orbs. The string of lights floated in his direction and then he took off running again, charging forward._

_…_

_Somewhere, some time during his run, he heard Nigou’s barking and followed the calling. His heart was ecstatic. Even if he was lost, even if he was in a completely unfamiliar world, he found Nigou. Finally. He wouldn’t be alone anymore._

_Kuroko tore through the bushes. The sharp twigs and the juts of branches scratched him, leaving vivid red lashes on his arms, knees and legs. He made it past the bushes and found himself standing at the edge of a clearing. The sound of water filled his ears and his eyes drifted over to the source- a river._

_Nigou stood by the river, barking happily while wagging its tail excitedly. The dog lowered its head and lapped at the water with its tongue. Comforted by the familiar sight, Kuroko broke out into a run and hugged the pup close to his chest._

_“Nigou, don’t you ever dare run away again,” the boy chided, relieved._

_There was a grumbling sound, dark and full of hunger. Everything happened so quickly. Nigou’s paws morphed into webbed hands with talons for trimmed nails. Kuroko was shoved flat onto his back. Slime dripped from the creature’s parted mouth as it hungrily growled and lowered its face._

_He paled at the malicious being on top of him. His hands instinctually moved out in front of him, a protective but futile act to distance the creature. The thick slime oozed onto Kuroko’s tiny fingers and quickly froze them together like some sort of super glue._

_“You poor little boy,” the kappa leered. Its dark brown tongue unfurled from a cave of disproportioned, jagged teeth. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you little children shouldn’t wander in the mountains?”_

_Kuroko stiffened at those words._

_The kappa cackled with amusement. “You’re a naughty boy, aren’t you? Didn’t listen to your mom. That’s why you’re here.”_

_“My grandmother actually,” Kuroko corrected, a fleeting burst of boldness. He flinched when the rough tongue slid across his neck, licking behind his ear with a slurp._

_“Tasty.”_

_The kappa plucked a thumb-sized scale from the side of its jaw. There was a lusting glint to its slanted eyes. The creature trailed the razor-like scale down Kuroko’s clothed chest and stopped right above the navel. “Shall I slice you open now and get the goodies?”_

_Kuroko’s breath hitched. He could only meekly whisper, “No.”_

_“That’s too bad for you. Children are my favorites,” the kappa said, as if Kuroko had never heard about the notorious stories where the kappa kidnapped children only to eat them in rivers._

_It dragged him by the ankles and plunged them both into the river._

_Kuroko did what he could do to survive. He remembered curling his fingers with his arms stretched out towards the river’s surface. He desperately kicked his legs, gasping for air only to have his breaths morph into choked gurgles. He couldn’t even hear his screams. They were muffled._

_A heavy weight, the kappa, kept him anchored deep underneath the dark water._

_Blurriness. His eyes burned. His chest throbbed and ached. Everything inside him felt compressed but also stretched at the same time. The pain, the weight, and his body- it all turned into numbness._

_…_

_Kuroko wasn’t sure what was going on. He woke up because of a jostling motion, slightly swaying, and as he stared up, he caught sight of glimmering gold and vibrant red eyes. The eyes weren’t looking down at him. They were fixated on something else, something far ahead._

_Kuroko looked down, realizing that he was in the stranger’s arms._

_“Your grandmother’s waiting for you,” the man informed._

_“Did I die?”_

_“Almost.”_

_“What about the kappa?”_

_“The kappa no longer exists.”_

_The little boy coughed. His throat ached. His voice was hoarse and weak. “Did you kill it, mister?”_

_“I don’t waste my time on such lowly creatures.”_

_Kuroko’s hesitant. “Are you one of them? Will you eat me too?”_

_“No.”_

_The stranger set the young child onto his feet, looking at Kuroko for the first time. “You were quite the trouble, wandering away from home only to be deceived by a spirit and brought into this world, and then barely surviving the jaws of a yokai. If the rivers hadn’t sent you to me, I’m sure you would’ve been long gone by now.”_

_Kuroko averted his eyes. “I only wanted to find my dog.”_

_He watched the man summon a wooden raft atop the dark river. A torch was ignited with white flames and the man gestured for him to settle onto the raft. Kuroko obeyed. “You’ll be on your way to your grandmother.”_

_Kuroko sat in the center of the raft, clutching the torch tightly in his hands. His eyes darted over to the dark water surrounding him, fearful. “What if something comes for me?”_

_“Nothing will come for you, Tetsuya. You are in my territory. No one dares to come here.”_

                                                     ♱♡‿♡♰

Kuroko feels something grab a hold of his shoulders, pulling him out from the heavy waters. He’s placed onto the hard ground. 

 “You’ve done it once again, Tetsuya.” 

 Kuroko rolls onto his side, coughing. 

 “What is it this time that you’d need to cast yourself onto the verge of death, Tetsuya?” 

A cold finger tilts his chin up and he’s met with those eyes again. This time, the eyes aren’t as vibrant and glimmering as they were. It’s more dusky and stygian. 

 “I’m missing a piece of my soul.” 

Akashi steps away from the human. “And let me guess, you’ve come to retrieve it?” 

Kuroko, getting back onto his feet, firmly replies. “Yes.” 

“You don’t even know where to start.” 

“If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be standing here. You’re my starting point. The river led me to you. I remember now. I remember what happened when I was spirited into this world. You saved me from the kappa and sent me back home.” 

“This isn’t a game, Tetsuya. There are no saving points here. You falter here. You die in your world. I spared your life years ago and now you’re barely alive, stuck in the hospital again.” 

“Please,” Kuroko says. “Help me find it.”

“I hope Tetsuya doesn’t think he can find this piece of his soul and return to his world. There’s a compensation for everything,” Akashi says. “I’m simply a collector of souls, Tetsuya. Humans die, I guide their souls in this realm and send them on their way. You have two choices: die or return to your world.” 

“If I return that means you’ll spare me once more but everything I did to get here would be pointless. I came here to retrieve my lost piece.”  Kuroko takes little steps backward, nearing the river. “You don’t understand how much it hurts to be an incomplete soul. There’s no point in living when I’m inefficient like this. I can’t feel like how my friends feel. I’m always thinking of something, but I will never know what it is that I’m trying to remember. I’m always drawn to the water but I never know why.” 

Akashi stands still. He can’t interfere with the soul’s decision. 

“I’m determined to know why this missing piece causes me so much pain and confusion. I’ll forfeit my life to get it back.” 

Kuroko lets it all go. He’s submerged under the dark water, the weight of eternal slumber dawns upon him as he sinks further down. There are no hands reaching for him this time. Akashi won’t save him like he did before; instead, he’ll put Kuroko’s soul to rest. 

Akashi summons the spirit dragon from the river. It’s large head surfaces from the water and inside the jaw, placed on the tongue, is the missing piece of Kuroko’s soul like a pearl in an oyster. 

The seal on that piece is broken under Akashi’s commands and the spirit dragon restores it back to Kuroko. It delves back into the waters and Akashi sends Kuroko on his way to death. The river’s gentle with Kuroko’s soul, washing him away from Akashi. 

He’s left alone in the cave again. He remembers how it all began. 

_Akashi’s makeshift home was a cave. He sat on the ground with his legs in dangling in a river that ran through the cave. The spirit dragons swam around and in between his legs. He could feel their scales brush the bottom of his feet._

_A certain smell wafted into the cave. Incense._

_Akashi followed the scent until he reached a shrine on top of a mountain. He entered the room emanating the incense scent and only found a miko in front of him. She danced one of those ritual dances, singing ancient words as she called into the spiritual world for him. The bells in her hands rang in sync with every step she took._

_There was no soul for him to guide._

_He didn’t see the need to reply to her call. He was going to return to his cave when she suddenly broke her rhythm._

_“Please,” she begged. “Please return him.”_

_Silence again. She prostrated herself. “Please save him.”_

_“And who is this you speak of?” Akashi finally said, circling around the human._

_The miko quivered at the sudden change in the atmosphere. She knew the collector of souls had shown its presence. It was invisible but present in all other senses. “My grandson, Tetsuya. Please help him return to us. He’s been spirited away.”_

_“Saving spirited ones requires a hefty compensation, miko. You’re certain you wish to proceed?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“I will see him back to the human world.”_

_…_

_Akashi returned to the spirit realm. The forest where yokai dwelled was loud and chaotic, more lively than usual._

_He knew something intruded upon his territory. His rivers were tainted with filthy yokai energy and a faint human scent. The spirit dragons swam through the numerous rivers, searching for the duo. He didn’t need to bother personally dealing with the kappa. His dragons easily devoured the lower-class creature._

_Akashi arrived at the river located near the outskirt of his territory. The silver spirit dragon had the unconscious child draped over its long back. It swam closer to its master who then carried the wounded child in his arms._

_“You’d die if I returned you back to your world in this state, little human.”_

_Akashi nursed the child back to a feasible condition. In terms of human time, it would’ve been two years but to Akashi, the time he spent with Kuroko was brief but memorable._

_There was a day when the young Kuroko finally mustered up the courage to ask his guardian the question he always wanted to ask. “Do you have a name?”_

_Akashi took a good moment to contemplate. “You can call me Akashi.”_

_Kuroko smiled. “Akashi-kun then?”_

_Akashi patted his messy blue hair. “Yes, that’s fine, Tetsuya.”_

_He had once thought he knew all there was to humans, considering his years of looking after them, but this human child made him question whether he understood humans as well as he thought he did._

_…_

_Akashi picked up the sleeping child and walked to the river in his cave. He took a piece of Kuroko’s soul, the one with his memory of his stay with Akashi and everything he came to love throughout the duration._

_“There’s always a compensation for something,” Akashi murmurs. Spirited humans returning to their world were often rare and saving Kuroko meant taking something from him personally because he really should have died. Akashi doesn’t regret taking care of this boy, even if Kuroko wouldn’t remember his name or their time together._

_Kuroko awakens at the jostling movements Akashi makes._

_“Your grandmother’s waiting for you,” he says._

_“Did I die?”_

_“Almost.”_

_“What about the kappa?”_

_“The kappa no longer exists.”_

_The little boy coughed. His throat ached. His voice was hoarse and weak. “Did you kill it, mister?”_

_“I don’t waste my time on such lowly creatures.”_

_Kuroko’s hesitant. “Are you one of them? Will you eat me too?”_

_“No.” The stranger set the young child onto his feet. “You were quite the trouble, wandering away from home only to be deceived by a spirit and brought into this world, and then barely surviving the jaws of a yokai. If the rivers hadn’t sent you to me, I’m sure you would’ve been long gone by now.”_

_Kuroko averted his eyes. “I only wanted to find my dog.”_

_He watched the man summon a wooden raft atop the dark river. A torch was ignited with white flames and the man gestured for him to settle onto the raft. Kuroko obeyed._

_“You’ll be on your way to your grandmother.”_

_Kuroko sat in the center of the raft, clutching the torch tightly in his hands. His eyes darted over to the dark waters, fearful. “What if something comes for me?”_

_“Nothing will come for you, Tetsuya. I’ll watch over you.”_

Akashi slips his legs into the river, feeling the coolness of his spirit dragons as they rub against his legs. He’s alone in the cave again. That’s how it’s always been before he met Kuroko and it’s going to be this way again.

 “I wonder if you’ll be happy in the afterlife, Tetsuya, now that you remember everything.”

Or maybe it was just him feeling too human, too attached to Kuroko. 


End file.
